Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer

Radiance Technologies, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Job summary

Radiance Technologies seeks an experienced Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer to lead structural, thermal, and aerodynamic design, analysis, and qualification of advanced missile airframes and internal packaging. You will translate loads into flight-ready structures, TPS, and mechanical interfaces for CAS and propulsion.

You will collaborate with SMEs to ensure robust integration, perform FEA/thermo analyses, and direct manufacturing and test programs while upholding our employee-owned culture and

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 5+ years missile/rocket experience.
• Strong CAD and FEA proficiency; experience with NX/CATIA/SolidWorks and ANSYS/NASTRAN/Abaqus.
• Ability to design and analyze airframes, TPS, and mechanical interfaces under extreme flight loads.
• Active US DoD Secret security clearance.
• Strong collaboration with GNC, propulsion, and avionics teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead airframe design, packaging, and aerothermal analysis using 3D CAD and FEA.
• Collaborate to integrate CAS, propulsion, and avionics with ruggedized enclosures.
• Select materials and coordinate DFMA with suppliers and vendors.
• Plan environmental qualification tests and support field testing.
• Participate in FRBs and root-cause analyses.

Skills

Structural analysis

Thermal analysis

Aeroelastic design

CAD modeling

FEA tools

GNC interfaces

Education

B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

ANSYS

NASTRAN

Abaqus

FEMAP

Job description

Radiance Technologies, a rapidly growing employee‑owned company, is seeking an experienced Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer to lead the structural, thermal, and aerodynamic design, analysis, and qualification of advanced missile airframes, control surfaces, and internal mechanical packaging. In this role within the Hardware & Avionics IPT, you will work closely with the SME / Lead Developer to translate aerodynamic profiles and 6‑DOF trajectory loads into flight‑ready airframe structures, Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), and mechanical interfaces for Control Actuation Systems (CAS) and propulsion units.

Key Responsibilities

• Airframe Design, Packaging, & Aerothermal Analysis Lead the mechanical architecture and CAD modeling of missile airframes, rseekers, body tubes, fins/canards, and internal mounting structures using 3D CAD (Siemens NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks). Execute structural, modal, and aerothermal Finite Element Analysis (FEA using ANSYS or NASTRAN) to verify structural integrity, thermal margins, and dynamic response under extreme flight loads (supersonic/hypersonic aerodynamic drag, extreme G-forces, and friction heating). Perform mass properties management (center of gravity, moments of inertia, total mass budgets) and work with the GNC team to maintain aerodynamic stability profiles.
• Mechanical Integration with CAS, Propulsion, & Avionics Collaborate with the SME / Lead Developer to integrate Control Actuation Systems (CAS)—including fin shafts, high‑torque gearboxes, linkage assemblies, and actuator housings—ensuring minimal mechanical backlash and compliance under heavy aerodynamic loads. Design ruggedized mechanical enclosures, mounting chassis, and vibration‑isolation assemblies for sensitive onboard avionics, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), power electronics, and thermal batteries. Manage mechanical interfaces with solid rocket motors ensuring proper thrust vector alignment, thermal isolation, and structural load paths.
• Material Selection & Advanced Manufacturing Select high‑performance aerospace materials suited for harsh flight environments. Apply Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA) principles, coordinating with machine shops, composite fabricators, and additive manufacturing vendors to ensure cost‑effective, high‑precision production.
• Environmental Qualification & Field Testing Author test plans and lead environmental qualification testing for structural airframes and mechanical sub‑assemblies (static load tests, modal survey, thermal vacuum / TVAC, random vibration, acoustic loading, and pyroshock per MIL‑STD‑810). Deploy to remote proving grounds and flight test ranges to support hardware assembly, launcher mechanical integration, pre‑flight checks, and post‑flight recovery/inspection. Participate in Failure Review Boards (FRBs) chaired by the Chief Engineer to perform root‑cause failure analysis on structural or mechanical anomalies.

Required Qualifications & Technical Stack

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline with 5+ years of experience (or M.S. with 3+ years) in missile, rocket, or high‑performance aerospace structures.

CAD & FEA Tools

Advanced proficiency in 3D CAD modeling (Siemens NX, CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE, or SolidWorks). Strong hands‑on expertise in FEA modeling software (ANSYS, NASTRAN, Abaqus, or FEMAP) for structural, thermal, and dynamic stress analysis.

Aerothermal & Material Knowledge

Deep understanding of high‑speed aerodynamics, thermal protection systems (TPS), aero‑heating load prediction, and structural dynamics (vibration/shock). In‑depth knowledge of aerospace materials (titanium, carbon composites, high‑temperature alloys, ablatives) and precision manufacturing processes.

Security Clearance

Must hold an active US DoD Secret security clearance

Equal Opportunity Statement

Radiance Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Employee‑Ownership

Radiance is a proud employee‑owned company! Employee‑ownership benefits both our customers and workforce, and ensures that Radiance doesn’t have to answer to stockholders or be driven by quarterly earnings reports. Thus, Radiance will always prioritize enhancing our customer’s mission over expanding our bottom line. We are singularly focused on providing our customers with game‑changing solutions to their most challenging requirements. This is only possible because employee‑ownership attracts the highest quality employees, empowers them to identify capability enhancements, and provides them with the freedom to take risks to deliver high‑quality solutions. Employee‑ownership also provides tangible and long‑term financial security for our people and their families. Therefore, employee‑ownership embodies participation, empowerment, freedom, teaming, excellence, accountability, mission focus, and security.

Our Culture

Radiance’s culture is driven by our commitment to our customers and our employee‑owners. Our employee‑owners thrive on entrepreneurship, empowerment, and mutual responsibility for growth and sustainability. Our culture consists of individuals who embody technical and leadership skills to deliver superior solutions to the nation’s toughest technical challenges. We believe building trust and credibility with our customers leads to long‑term results. We invest in a superior technical workforce where leaders are developed, innovation is encouraged, and achievements are recognized. We seek innovative ways to improve, experiment, take risks, foster collaboration, and empower our employee‑owners.

Our Values

Our values drive our culture, business model, and daily interactions. These values constantly remind us of who we are and what we do. Our employee‑owners influence how we operate our business. We relentlessly pursue operating excellence by innovating, improving our processes, and reducing waste. We believe in being wise and ethical stewards of capital and resources. Our values dictate how we interact with each other and our customers, partners, and suppliers. Honesty, trust, humanity, alignment, and value creation require that we treat our employees with dignity and respect and provide them with fair compensation and equal employment opportunity. We believe in connecting with our communities and have a responsibility to be good corporate citizens, and we believe in sustainable business practices, which include supporting the environment and the communities in which we work.